Outdoor T&F Preview: Girls’ Sprinting & Hurdling Events

Outdoor T&F Preview: Girls’ Sprinting & Hurdling Events

100m

in the history of the state, only two runners have broken 12 seconds in this event with former Hope standout Quashira McIntosh setting the current state record of 11.82 at the New England’s in 2015 and four year’s earlier fellow Blue Wave alum Royal Cheatham clocking 11.97 at the State Meet. We’re predicting we could possibly have one or more sprinters achieving that milestone this spring. The two we feel have the best shot of a sub-12 this spring are West Warwick freshman Lisa Raye and defending champion Ailani Sutherland of Cranston West, our 1-2 finishers in the 55-meter dash at the indoor states this past winter. Sutherland, a junior, clocked a winning time and PR of 12.20 at last year’s State Meet with two more hopefuls this spring, West Warwick’s Xenia Raye (12.34) and Smithfield’s Lauren Boyd (12.37), taking the next two spots. Lisa Raye, the Wizards’ gifted frosh, will be competing in her first outdoor season as a high-schooler. But we certainly know the talent she has when it comes to the sprinting events. She’s coming off a winter campaign where she won the 55m and 300m at the State Meet and broke McIntosh’s R.I. mark in the 55m. Can she do the same to the Hope’s multiple all-stater’s record in the 100m?

200m

Sutherland (25.31), Xenia Raye (25.73), South Kingstown’s Sierra Thompson (25.83) and Classical’s Ziada Depina (25.99) were all sub 26-second 200m runners last year, achieving their all-time best with their 1-2-4-5 finishes at the State Meet. On the cusp, were 6-7 finishers, Christian Cormier of La Salle (26.14) and Nazarae Phillip of East Providence (26.14). Add in the Wizards’ Lisa Raye, and like 2020, there’s a very good chance we could have at least two runners (possibly three) break 25 seconds this season. The current state mark was set back at ’20 State Meet with Moses Brown’s Mary Beth Fitzsimmons blazing to a winning time of 24.05 to beat Westerly’s Helena Hall-Thomsen, who dipped under 25 with a best of 24.62. Is that four-year-old state mark in jeopardy this spring? We’re not ruling it out, especially if the conditions are ideal, much like they were for Fitzsimmons when bright skies and a slight (legal) tail wind greeted the competition. This past indoor season at the New Balance Nationals, Sutherland (24.60) and Lisa Raye (24.70) both broke 25 seconds in their respective heats with Zenia Raye clocking a best of 25.64. We expect all to be in the hunt at the season-ending championship meet witn a time in that low 24-second range possible.

400m

The top runner in this event is, of course, Sophia Gorriaran, who holds the current R.I. record of 54.10 from last year’s NSAF Outdoor Nationals. The Moses Brown senior will be competing in the inal season of her storied high school career. After a very busy indoor season of competition, Gorriaran’s racing will be limited this spring, according to her dad and coach Steve Gorriaran. If she does compete in this event, sub-54 is, of course, a possibility, The top returnee from last year’s state is the Rebels’ Thompson, the defending champion with a best of 57.25 from that meet. Cormier (58.91), Xenia Raye (58.95) and Moses Brown’s Kylie Eaton (59.97) finished 2-3-4 in that race and all are returning.

110m HH

This should be a very competitive event with North Smithfield’s Bethany Marsella and the Wizards’ Lisa Raye the leading candidates to strike it rich at the states. Marsella was fifth at last year’s champion meet with a best of 16.56. She was our leading hurdler this indoor season, winning the 55m HH State Meet with a state-leading 8.67. Raye, who was second at Marsella at that meet, proved with her versatility this past winter, that she’s capable of prosperity in this event. There’s also Astrid Berger of Classical, who was fourth at the states in 2022 with a best of 16.43 and Coventry’s Christine Long, who went 16.61 at last year’s meet to place sixth overall.

300m IH

We’re told that Lisa Raye will be competing in this event during the spring season. With her speed – she won the 300m at the indoor states and New England’s (best of 39.50) – and her hurdling skills, she should be a factor in this event. The Wheeler School no longer competes in the RIIL, which means the Warriors’ Nora Kiley, who was fourth at the State Meet, will not be back this year. Chariho’s Emily Brown, who placed sixth (48.66), is the top returnee. Thompson won the Class B title at 48.63, but did not compete in this event at the states. With the event right after the 400m, we’re not expecting that to change this season.